AIM Autosport - Infineon race

AIM Autosport was quick on track and in pit lane during the Grand-Am Rolex
Sports Car Series race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. The rookie team
struggled to fnd the right car setup during practice sessions on the
2.52-mile road course, but found the combination on race day. The setup and
fast pitstops moved the team to seventh place, but an untimely late-race
caution and resulting contact from another competitor dropped them back to
ninth.

 

Mark Wilkins of Toronto drove first, starting the No. 61 Lexus-powered Riley
Mk XI from eighth on the 17-car grid. He held the position through his
double stint, supported by an aerodynamic change to the rear wing during his
first pitstop. Brian Frisselle of Lynchburg, Va., took over during a fast
stop with about an hour to go in the 2.5-hour race. He moved up to seventh
and held a 20-second margin over the next car until a caution period started
five minutes before the race finish. Frisselle was knocked off track during
the restart, damaging the car's right-front suspension. He lost two
positions and finished ninth.

 

AIM had an extra cheering contingent at the Sonoma race – guests of the
team's primary sponsor, Exchange Traded Gold. The team is also supported by
Barrick Gold Corporation, RBC Financial Group and Telus' Mike Network.

 

race report

 

car          time             driver                  action

 

61           start              Wilkins

               44m              Wilkins                 pit – changed rear
tires, changed front tire pressure,

                                                              fuel, rear
wing gurney change

               1h35             change                 pit – Frisselle in,
four tires, fuel

               2h28             Frisselle               race restart
contact, right-front suspension damage

                                                              

Brian Frisselle:  "We would have been fine had we not had contact with other
drivers. It knocked out the toe of our right front and we were a wounded
duck. The car was just evil to drive everywhere at that point, especially
any left-hand corner, so we lost positions. Overall, it was a great team
effort. We struggled all weekend to find pace in the car and they pulled it
out of the bag at the end, as they always do. We had a really racey car. I
don't know how they do it, but it seems like no matter what, we have a good
car on race day."

 

Mark Wilkins:  "We had a very strong race going. Brian drove the wheels off
the car his whole stint and the guys did a great job getting the car working
really well for us in the race. We made more tweaks in the race and they
were good. We were running up there with the front guys, so it was positive.
The big thing is that Kevin [O'Reilly, chief mechanic] and the crew did the
fastest pitstop of everybody and that is awesome. Kudos to those guys for
their hard work."

 

– aimautosport.com – 

 
Sylvia Proudfoot
HYPERLINK "mailto:sylvia@spurcom.ca"sylvia@spurcom.ca
403 287 3945
 

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